How to Make Copycat Chick-fil-A Sauce

Updated: Apr. 04, 2023

This simple Chick-fil-A sauce recipe calls for only four ingredients—and tastes exactly like the chain's secret sauce.

Chick-fil-A sauce is nothing short of heavenly. This secret sauce tastes fantastic with anything on the Chick-fil-A menu (and its secret menu). Since it’s not possible (or probably in our best interest) to head to Chick-fil-A daily to get our fix, we felt it was high time to create a Chick-fil-A sauce recipe that’s easy to make at home.

Keep reading for all the “saucy” details. Then make one of these Chick-fil-A copycat recipes to dip into it!

What Does Chick-fil-A Sauce Taste Like?

It’s creamy, tangy, sweet and smoky. This golden-hued dipping sauce has been around for decades, and its proprietary blend of ingredients (allegedly ranch, honey mustard and barbecue sauce) keeps customers coming back for more.

Key Ingredients in Copycat Chick-fil-A Sauce

measured out ingredients for chick fil a sauce in separate bowlsTMB Studio

You don’t need much to make a spot-on Chick-fil-A sauce recipe. However, selecting the right option for each ingredient is the secret to making the best copycat Chick-fil-A sauce at home.

Mayonnaise

In testing, we found that real mayonnaise yielded the most authentic-tasting copycat Chick-fil-A sauce. Light mayonnaise and Miracle Whip simply didn’t give this sauce the right flavor. That said, feel free to use a mayo brand made with avocado oil or olive oil if you want to.

Mustard

If you do a search for copycat Chick-fil-A sauce, you’ll see recipes listing everything from yellow mustard to spicy brown mustard and honey mustard. We found that a good-quality Dijon mustard was the best choice. It has the right amount of bite and acidity, so there’s no need to add extra acid (many other recipes add white or apple cider vinegar).

Barbecue Sauce

What is the best barbecue sauce for homemade Chick-fil-A sauce? You want a sauce that’s sweet but not overly sweet. A Kansas City barbecue sauce or Memphis-style barbecue sauce both have a nice balance of sweet and tangy. (Learn more about the different regional styles of BBQ sauce.)

Honey

While you could use store-bought honey mustard that already has honey in it, we liked using the real deal (any type of honey will do). Packaged honey mustard often contains extra artificial sweeteners. In contrast, pure honey has natural sweetness that shines in the finished sauce.

Editor’s Tip: Feel free to adjust the amount of honey in the recipe. More or less may be required depending on the barbecue sauce brand or recipe used.

How to Make Copycat Chick-fil-A Sauce at Home

This recipe makes about 3/4 cup of sauce.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • 5 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
  • 3 tablespoons honey

Directions

Step 1: Combine

multiple ingredients for making chick fil a sauce in bowl with a whiskTMB Studio

In a medium bowl, combine the mustard, mayonnaise, barbecue sauce and honey.

Step 2: Stir

bowl of chick fil a sauceTMB Studio

Stir everything together until evenly mixed. Then spread, drizzle and/or dip to your heart’s content.

Tips for Making Copycat Chick-fil-A Sauce

How to Store Homemade Chick-fil-A Sauce

You can store this copycat Chick-fil-A sauce recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Recipe Variations

Because we know we can’t be the only ones who like to mix our Chick-fil-A sauces together, here are some of our favorite ways to put a twist on the classic recipe:

  • Spicy Chick-fil-A Sauce: Opt for a spicy barbecue sauce and/or spicy brown mustard rather than Dijon. A dash of black pepper never hurt either.
  • Buffalo Chick-fil-A Sauce: Add a few teaspoons of your favorite buffalo sauce to the recipe.
  • Polynesian Chick-Fil-A Sauce: Inspired by those who enjoy mixing Chick-fil-A sauce with Polynesian sauce, add a few tablespoons of homemade Sweet-and-Sour Sauce to the copycat recipe above.
  • Healthy Chick-fil-A Sauce: Swap the mayo for low-fat Greek yogurt to reduce calories and add some protein. Light sour cream is another healthy alternative to consider.

What to Serve with Chick-fil-A Sauce

fried chicken sandwiches on a plate with a side of chick fil a sauceTMB Studio

Replicate your Chick-fil-A order at home with copycat Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets or a fried chicken sandwich. This copycat Chick-fil-A sauce recipe would be great served with one of these slow cooker pulled pork recipes or oven-baked french fries, too!

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